Maria Salzman believes one consequence of western culture’s weathering of one scandal after another is a culture full of cynicism. We’re much wiser to the ploys of politicos, preachers, and priest. And we’re anxious about what the future holds. Anxiety overload! And we respond by bouncing from—”It won’t get me”—to a cautious and fearful—”Can I beat the odds. Am I going to make it?”
Not only have our fears been amplified but our trust has eroded. We’ve lost faith in our institutions (government, corporations, the United Nations, and even church). All of which once helped us navigate the world’s woes. We’re at the cynical tail end of just over 200 years of ideologies spawned by the enlightenment.
Here are some of the things I have observed in response to our fears and anxiety. A desire for more personal control. I see that in home-schooling, the obsession of homegrown organic foods, and the screening of potential mates online for the perfect match. Personal control has become a social phenomenon.
